Global Finance has announced its selections for the fourth annual SME Bank Awards for 2025. Honorees have been chosen globally and across the following regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Central America, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and Western Europe. Winners have also been named in 72 countries, territories and districts and six US regions. A full report on Global Finance’s SME Bank Awards will be published in the November 2024 print and digital editions and online at GFMag.com.
Global Finance founder and editorial director Joseph Giarraputo emphasized the critical role of small and medium enterprises in the global economy: “Across every region, SMEs are the backbone of economic and jobs growth. Global Finance is committed to spotlighting financial institutions that excel in supporting this crucial sector, both locally and globally, empowering SME managers to reach new heights of financial success.”
The editors of Global Finance selected the winners for the 2025 Best SME Bank Awards based on entries submitted by banks and independent research, with input from industry insiders, executives, and technology experts. Global Finance used a proprietary algorithm with criteria—such as knowledge of SME markets and needs, breadth of products and services, market standing, and innovation—weighted for relative importance. Entries were not required for consideration. This year’s ratings are based on performance from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. The winners are those banks that best meet the specialized needs of SMEs in their markets.
Global Finance’s awards and recognition programs are the trusted standard of excellence for banks and their corporate partners. They are backed by a 37-year history of editorial accuracy and integrity. Global Finance’s corporate and financial audience relies on these awards because they are credible, reliable and real.
The list of winners of Global Finance’s SME Bank Awards 2025 follows.
| Global Winner – Best SME Bank in the World | BTG Pactual Empresas |
REGIONAL WINNERS
| Africa | UBA |
| Asia-Pacific | DBS |
| Caribbean | Banreservas |
| Central & Eastern Europe | MAIB |
| Latin America | BTG Pactual Empresas |
| Middle East | Bahrain Development Bank |
| North America | Royal Bank of Canada |
| Western Europe | Santander |
COUNTRY, TERRITORY AND DISTRICT WINNERS
| Argentina | Bind Banco Industrial |
| Armenia | Evocabank |
| Austria | Erste Group Bank |
| Bahrain | Bahrain Development Bank |
| Bangladesh | Dutch-Bangla Bank |
| Belgium | Belfius Bank |
| Brazil | BTG Pactual Empresas |
| Cameroon | Societe Generale |
| Canada | Royal Bank of Canada |
| Chile | Banco Santander Chile |
| Colombia | Bancolombia |
| Costa Rica | BAC Credomatic |
| Cote d’Ivoire | Bridge Bank |
| Czech Republic | CSOB |
| Denmark | Spar Nord Bank |
| Dominican Republic | Banreservas |
| DR Congo | Trust Merchant Bank |
| Ecuador | Produbanco |
| Egypt | CIB |
| France | Credit Agricole |
| Georgia | TBC Bank |
| Germany | Commerzbank |
| Ghana | Ecobank |
| Greece | Alpha Bank |
| Guatemala | Banco Industrial |
| Hong Kong | HSBC |
| Hungary | OTP Bank |
| India | HDFC Bank |
| Indonesia | CIMB Niaga |
| Ireland | Bank of Ireland |
| Italy | UniCredit |
| Japan | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group |
| Jordan | Arab Bank |
| Kazakhstan | ATF Bank |
| Kenya | Co-operative Bank |
| Kuwait | Kuwait Finance House |
| Kyrgyzstan | Optima Bank |
| Malaysia | CIMB |
| Mauritius | Bank One |
| Mexico | Banorte |
| Moldova | MAIB |
| Mongolia | Khan Bank |
| Morocco | BCP |
| Mozambique | UBA |
| Myanmar | CB Bank |
| Netherlands | ING Group |
| Nigeria | Access Bank |
| Norway | Nordea |
| Oman | Bank Muscat |
| Panama | Banco Nacional de Panama |
| Peru | BBVA Peru |
| Philippines | Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) |
| Poland | BNP Paribas Bank Polska |
| Portugal | Santander Totta |
| Puerto Rico | FirstBank Puerto Rico |
| Qatar | Qatar Islamic Bank |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Awwal Bank |
| Singapore | DBS |
| South Africa | Nedbank |
| South Korea | Industrial Bank of Korea |
| Spain | Santander |
| Sri Lanka | Commercial Bank of Sri Lanka |
| Sweden | Nordea |
| Switzerland | Zurcher Kantonalbank |
| Taiwan | First Commercial Bank |
| Tanzania | CRDB |
| Thailand | Siam Commercial Bank |
| Turkey | Ziraat Bankasi |
| United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank |
| United Kingdom | Lloyds Bank |
| United States | Bank of America |
| Uzbekistan | Asia Alliance Bank |
| Vietnam | Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam |
US REGIONAL WINNERS
| Mid-Atlantic | First National Bank |
| Midwest | Huntington National |
| Northeast | Citizens Bank |
| Southeast | Regions Bank |
| Southwest | US Bank |
| West | Umpqua |
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For editorial information, please contact Andrea Fiano, editor, afiano@gfmag.com
About Global Finance
Global Finance, founded in 1987, has a circulation of 50,000 and readers in 193 countries and territories. Global Finance’s audience includes senior corporate and financial officers responsible for making investment and strategic decisions at multinational companies and financial institutions. Its website — GFMag.com — offers analysis and articles that are the legacy of 37 years of experience in international financial markets. Global Finance is headquartered in New York, with offices around the world. Global Finance regularly selects the top performers among banks and other providers of financial services. These awards have become a trusted standard of excellence for the global financial community.
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